So, it’s likely that US taxpayers already cover about 70 or 80% of US health care costs. Given the difference in overhead mentioned above, it’s easy to imagine that a government-managed health care system would incur lower costs, and therefore the percentage of actual health care costs covered would rise very close to 100%.

Another point that nudges the equation towards “why aren’t we already doing this?” is the fact that health problems are a significant drag on the economy. This works out in several ways. It might be the fact that the guy making your lunch can’t afford to get treatment for whatever contagious disease he might be tossing into your salad. Or the notion that employers have to, whether required by law or as a draw for employees, frequently offer health care coverage, which is a cost they incur. Or the number of medical bankruptcies. Or the vast number of other costs associated with preventable or treatable disease.